Labour's campaign policy document Why is it mainly jobs for the boys"?

Scan page 6

Public sector jobs confine women "women's work"

PARTNERS in Rebuildin Britain talks about expansio and creating jobs, specificall in the public sector, whic will mean jobs for wome and necessary services t enable women to go out t work.

But it doesn't mention th existing sexual division of labou and how to end it. There vague references to discrimina tion in training in and employ ment practices.

'Partners' talks about creatin; 500,000 jobs, half of which wil be in the construction industry £30 billion over five years is to br spent on major construction an‹ investment projects in housing transport, energy and sewerage Women hardly exist in thes industries and there are no pro posals to ensure they get equa benefit from this £30 billior investment.

The whole employment pro gramme doesn't challenge the sexual division of labour; inffac it reinforces it. Although it wil create jobs for women in the public sector, this won't involve : redistribution of skills so that women can take their place along side men in manufacturing, house building, transport and energy industries.

The TUC has recently produced figures which show that of the four million women job. less and eligible to work, only 1.3 million are registered as unemployed. Neither document refers to the major problems that this poses for any party com mitted, as the Labour Party claims to be, to make the 'main goal of the next Labour government to put Britain's wealth to use for tull employment, industrial revival and social justice' (Partners').

The reason that 3½ million day are not entitled to work, and becaase of the lack of social promoon such as childcare, to ick them to go out to work. Tosse same assumptions are =sited in the TUC/Labour Fit: Jocument: there is no = o: support to enable *De: work. Clearly this is a -es beiween men in the ANN PETTIFOR is a leading activist in the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy Women's Action Committee. She spoke to Gerry Byrne ab. out Labour's campaign document, 'New Hope for Britain' and the joint Labour. Party/TUC document, 'Partners in Rebuilding Britain': What do they offer women?

Research by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research shows that despite their claims, the Social Contract and incomes policy did precious little to alter differentials. There must be a concerted effort to raise low pay. The Labour and trade union movement must devise a strategy that will guarantee raising the wages of the low-paid and also reduce differentials.

There is no indication that a male-dominated trade union movement is prepared to take this chalienge on board. This is not surprising. They won't respond until women organise.

The Sex Discrimination Act didn't include any attempt to put the government's own house in order. Witness the Invalid Care Allowance and Non-Contributory Invalidity Pension, which directly discriminate against married women.

The reason the Labour government did this, and the Labour Party is unable to challenge this discrimination is because they accept whole-heartedly the concept of female dependence JOHN HARRIS within marriage. Further evidence of the acceptance of this dependence is the promise "to increase maternity grant to at least £100"

Maternity grant would have to be £110 to be the same value in real terms as in 1963 when it was introduced.

60,000 women receive no maternity grant whatsoever because they do not pay National Insurance contributions, or are not dependent on men paying it.

It is clear from the document that it has been drafted by men.

For example, women's right to choice in birth control has been phrased in negative rather than positive • terms: "barriers will be removed". , rather than facilities positively extended.

Unless women are given this autonomy and choice, control over our own bodies, our ability to participate equally with men in this proposed industrial and economic recovery will be severely limited. So-called left-wingers on the NEC are still not able to make this connection and extend to women their full and deserved rights.

There are however a number of policies in the campaign document on which the Party must be congratulated. If carried out they will begin the process of altering the present unacceptable balance of power between men and women. For these policies to be carried out with commitment and enthusiasm will require women in positions where they have the power of implementation.

The Parliamentary selection process so far suggests that there will be fewer women in the next Parliament than there are now. More women candidates have been selected - but the majority are in safe Tory seats. Without an organised force of women to monitor and promote these policies, we will have the same situation as in 1976 after Barbara Castle was sacked from the Labour cabinet and a section of the TUC and the Cabinet colluded to attempt to ditch Child Benefit.

Women therefore cannot be confident of -anything in this Programme until they have mobilised to ensure proper representation and an equal voice in the labour movement. Ann Pettifor:

ccepts wholeheartedly the concept of female dependence

----- pull-quotes -----

women are not registered is because of the assumption that